while recognizing a need and opportunity in the residential market for house
and landscape design with a modern edge, thirdstone inc. launched in november of
2004.
with the advent of thirdstone inc. as a newly registered business, our
portfolio may be small but significant in design excellence!
within its first few months, two projects designed by thirdstone inc. were
selected to participate in the Alberta Ballet - House + Garden Tour 2005 with
projects also featured in the Edmonton Journal.
we were also awarded recently, first prize representing Edmonton in Western
Living Magazine’s - Design West Makeover Challenge in their Winter 2006 issue.
Louis Pereira, Principal
with almost 20 years of experience in the architecture and landscape design
industry, Louis has contributed to major works with previous firms within the
Edmonton area including the downtown Telus Plaza Redevelopment (2000) and Nilex
Inc. Office/Warehouse (1998) - both accredited in the Top 50 projects of the
Alberta Association of Architects' Chronicle of Significant Alberta Architecture.
in 2004 Louis recognized a need, and in a sense, a responsibility for
providing the (new or renovation) residential market with a service that firmly
underscores design distinction. his previous tenures with both landscape and
architecture firms, on a variety of significant projects, has assisted in
establishing his diverse design and technical insight. Louis’ design acumen and
professional responsiveness serve to identify goals critical to the success of
any project.
whether renewing the mid-century modernist house or preserving and fostering
historical aspects of early 20th century homes, clients value Louis’ innovative
and visionary design principles.
the dawn of modernism, within the architectural domain, introduced a new
train of thought while imparting that high design could be offered to the
masses. this movement spawned mid-century modern classics that continue to read
like timeless sculptures within today’s progressive design realm.
modernist design of houses and furniture typically emphasize simplicity and
clarity of form, open-plan interiors, efficient use of space and the absence of
clutter. many aspects of modernist design persist within the mainstream of
contemporary architecture today.
in addition to the great european masters of modernism, we are persuaded by
the enduring architecture of such greats as Richard Neutra, Craig Ellwood and
builder Joseph Eichler of the mid-century modernist post-war movement. their
work became a precursor to modern house design while their philosophy and
principles continue to be applied and refined by today’s best house designers
and architects.
in the spirit of mid-century house design, a parallel movement by the
'California school' of landscape architecture emerged during the same period.
the legendary works of Dan Kiley, Thomas Church and Garret Eckbo embraced the
same values and beliefs of this leading era.
thirdstone inc. adheres to this philosophy and their brilliant use of
planning and organization through geometry of design, innovation and enduring
aesthetics. likewise, we distil essential elements of design by exploring mass,
volume, space, light and form. this philosophy seeks out purity in articulating
aesthetics and functionality within today’s modern idiom.
"Louis combines exceptional illustration talents with a keen design sense and
understanding of the built environment, from landscape to architecture. he is an
asset to his clients"
Barry Johns, Governor General Award Winner and Member of the Royal
Architecture Institute of Canada (Barry Johns Architecture Ltd.)
"Louis brings a great deal of sensitivity and attention to detail to all work
he realizes."
Carol Belanger - Architect (Principal Urban Designer, City of Edmonton)
"Western Living Magazine was pleased to award
thirdstone inc. with
first-place honours in our 2006 Design West Makeover contest. our selection
committee was taken with their choice of light-coloured woods paired with dark
grey and black finishes on counters and accessories, transforming a standard
bungalow into an airy, open and loft-like space. thoughtful details such as
their inventive double-column support structure, and the decorative use of
exposed I-beams also contributed to thirdstone’s first-place finish."
Anicka Quin, Associate Editor, Western Living Magazine
"over the past five years, i have purchased two resale homes and have
commissioned Louis and thirdstone inc. The transformations, although completely
different from each other, have been magical, because Louis took the time to
listen to our likes and wants and then used his knowledge, training and
experience to bring it all together."
Peter Carter, President (Carter's Travel)
"Louis provided us with outstanding service. he is very intuitive and quickly
understood what it was we would like. the design was creative and we were just
delighted with the result. Louis is dependable, timely and meticulous and it was
a pleasure working with him."
Dr. Mary Cummins, University of Alberta
awards
design west makeover challenge (western living
magazine / winter 2006) it started as standard four-room main floor in a simple
1954 tract bungalow: a kitchen, an eating nook, a dining room and living room.
Then came down the walls
…read
articles
a modern marriage (western living magazine / march
2006) featuring the woodcroft house ensuite in western living magazine’s
kitchens + baths edition
…read
metamorphosis (alberta ballet house + garden tour /
june 2005) successfully transforming this post-war bungalow from a maze of small
rooms and wasted space into a modern great room with an industrial edge
…read
suburban renewal (edmonton journal / july 2005) cities
contain housing of various vintages, everything from designated heritage homes
to brand new housing. In edmonton, housing stock from the mid-20th century is
plentiful in many mature neighbourhoods that encircle the city
…read
cherished rooms (edmonton journal / november 2005)
this article from the ‘at home’ section of the edmonton journal features the
open living space of the woodcroft house renovation project
…read
recommended reading
dissecting the american house (progressive
architecture magazine / october 1995) this important critique from Progressive
Architecture magazine provides valuable insight on the housing market from the
perspective of the architectural community and why they feel the house design
domain continues to debase itself. misguided by dubious ‘show homes’ and their
self-important two-storey porticos with mega-columns and irrational use of
space, the general home buying public are left with the impression that it is
necessary to include such unsavoury ‘features’
…read
saving modern edmonton (legacy magazine / winter.2005)
a commendable article by robert geldart (principal heritage planner with the
city of edmonton), centers on edmonton’s significant modern buildings dating
back to 1930 which, defined the city’s development during the modern era of the
mid-20th century
…read
at thirdstone inc., we are committed to creating award-winning house design.
we not only think ‘outside the box’ – we will explore it, rotate it and dissect
it until we arrive at a solution that is fully adapted to the individual needs
of the modern day family.
we favour the highly individualised but understated aesthetic, purity of form
and use of genuine materials over the mass-generated product of the suburban
mainstream residential market.
whether building a new house, a weekend retreat or renovating an existing
dwelling, our mission is to investigate all potential design options by
providing resourceful solutions with design integrity that respond to the
client’s program needs, discerning tastes and budgetary control.
through comprehensive examination, the design process can become a
metamorphosis from everyday to extraordinary proving that even the most
unexciting house can be reborn with an infusion of innovative design, vigour and
unwavering effort.
we venture to approach all scales of projects in this manner - with an
inventive response to every residential design challenge.
at thirdstone inc., we endeavour to redefine, innovate and provide a
forward-looking approach to shaping your outdoor living space.
our task is to draw from the inspiration of traditional garden structure and
interpret outdoor space through contemporary aesthetics. while good design is
about the pairing of form and function, at its heart is our belief that careful
planning and design is paramount. we further believe that there is modernity in
garden design just as there is in architecture.
aside from its peripheral surroundings, we believe that the residential
landscape should heighten the senses the moment you step onto the property –
creating a carefully choreographed approach through a progression of spaces that
lead you through a contemporary garden.
we will emphasize simplicity over the ornate, employing crisp geometry with
an uncomplicated plant palette laid out in masses for bold effect. borrowing
architectural cues from the house, we are partial to genuine materials not
commonly expressed within the landscape to create a subtle compromise between
the controlled and the organic.
ultimately, the distinction of a modern garden lies in its attention to
detail while responding to the client's program needs and established resources.
thirdstone inc. provides visual communication solutions to assist our
residential clients, as well as architects, engineers and developers to operate
and communicate more effectively. These services include:
· sketch perspectives
· architectural illustrations
· 3d modeling
· animation
at thirdstone inc., we draw on skilled and efficient
hand-drawn methods in addition to emerging computer technologies to interpret
composite data into easily understood visual communication formats that bring
ideas and vision to life.
thirdstone inc. [^]
phone 780.423.2960